[The Film Blog] Harry Potter Fan Film explores the Dark Origins of Voldermort

From TV shows to movies, fan fiction has always been part of pop culture, fuelled by an active cauldron of ideas, theories and imaginations aimed at preserving and extending the lifespan of a cultural product. But some fandom are bigger than others, as we can clearly see in the new Harry Potter fan film which made its debut on YouTube over the weekend.

This highly anticipated independent film explores the rise of Voldermort, the evil, creepy, tenacious super-villainous wizard that imbued the Harry Potter films with a treacherous air of dark magic. Titled Voldermort: Origins of the Heir, the trailer had sent fans into a frenzy. However, its release was delayed after independent film company Tryangle received a cease-and-desist letter from Warner Bros, the company that holds the right to the Harry Potter film franchise.

The legal battle was resolved when Tyangle’s founders, Gianmaria Pezzato and Stefano Prestia, agreed the film should be not-for-profit. It was released for free on YouTube. And as of Today, the fan film had been watched by more than 5.7 million people. The hour-long film explores Tom Riddle’s graduation from Hogwarts, as well as his transformation into the most evil wizard known to Mugglekind.